Support for electrically heated devices



Feb. 27, 1951 v. o. FRIESEN SUPPORT FOR ELECTRICALLY HEATED DEVICESFiled Oct. 28, 1946 INVENTOR.

l/EANO/V 0. FRI-6155M Patented Feb. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCESUPPORT FOR ELECTRICALLY HEATED DEVICES 2 Claims.

My invention relates to electrically heated devices such as solderingirons or the like, and more particularly to a support therefor adaptedto control the idling temperature of such devices.

That form of my invention illustrated in the drawings has been designedfor a soldering iron, for which type of device it possesses addedadvantages. Accordingly, the invention will be described with respect tosuch device, although it will be appreciated from the followingdescription of the same, that it is applicable to other electricallyheated devices such as electric irons, hair curlers and the like.

During idling periods in the use of electrically heated devices of theaforementioned type, consumption of electrical energy is not desiredexcept to the extent of maintaining a minimum temperature, to therebyminimize the time lag in bringing the device to full operating heatcondition for use. With a soldering iron, the matter of economizing onelectrical energy consumption, while desirable, is of less importance tothe user than the prevention of oxidation of the tip of the iron duringsuch idling periods when the temperature of the device, in the absenceof precautionary measures, is apt to rise to oxidation values.

Among the objects of my invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved support for electrically heateddevices;

(2) To provide a novel and improved support for electrically heateddevices, for economizing on electrical energy consumption during idlingperiods;

(3) To provide a novel and improved support for electrically heateddevices adapted to automatically alter the energy input to such heateddevices when supported thereon, while the support itself remains cool;

(4) To provide a novel and improved support for electrically heateddevices, capable of reducing the energy input to such devices whensupported thereon, and without producing a. corresponding energy losswithin the support.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein-- Figure 1 is a three-dimensionalview of my invention, designed as a support for a soldering iron;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal view in section through the support of Figure1.

Referring to the drawings for the details of my invention as illustratedtherein, it involves a casing I on which are mounted a pair of standards3 and 5 in spaced relationship. Each standard is preferably of sheetmetal flanged at the bottom for mounting purposes. One of such standardsis mounted directly on the casing by means of a machine screw 1 or rivetwhile the other is carried on a plug 9 having an end ll of reduceddiameter extending into the casing through a hole provided therein forthe purpose. At its inner end there is mounted a tip l3 to precludewithdrawal of the plug. The reduced end of the plug is of sufiicientlength to permit limited linear movement of the plug, the tip and theportion of larger diameter constituting the limiting factors to suchmovement.

A coil biasing spring 15 between the mounting flange of the standard andthe casing serves to bias the plug to its uppermost position ofmovement, in the absence of sufficient weight to overcome the biasingaction of this spring.

Both standards have a notch IT in the upper edge to cradle a solderingiron [9 during idling periods. By selection of a suificiently weakbiasing spring and properly apportioning the weight of the iron betweenthe two standards, that portion of the weight of such iron carried bythe spring biased standard may be made to exceed the biasing force ofthe spring, whereupon the plug will be depressed under the weight of theiron-when placed on the support.

Within the casing is mounted a transformer 2|, preferably of theauto-transformer type, having a primary winding 23 and a secondarywinding 25. A plug-in cord 21 extends from the primary winding throughthe casing, terminating in a conventional type plug (not shown forconnection to a wall socket or the like. The secondary winding ispreferably tapped, two such taps 29 and 3| being normally sufficient forthe purpose of the present invention. One end of the secondary windingis connected directly to one terminal 33 on a socket 35 supported inanropening provided in the casing for the purpose, while the twoaforementioned contacts of the secondar winding are selectivelyconnectable to the other contact 31 normall provided on such a socket,through a switch 39.

Such switch may comprise a switch arm M of I relatively light gaugespring material fastened at one end to a fixed support 43 and at itsother end, carrying a pair of contacts 45 and 41, one on each sidethereof. Such spring arm is adapted to move between a pair of fixedterminals 48 and 5|, each being connected to one of the taps on thesecondary winding.

The switch arm is normally distorted to contact that terminal 5| whichmakes connection to the higher Voltage tap of the secondary winding, andthe entire switch is mounted with the switch arm in the path of movementof the plug 9, such that downward movement of the plug will besufficient to shift the switch arm from its normal contact with the highvoltage terminal 5|, into contact with the lower voltage terminal 49.

The soldering iron receives its energy by way of the transformer 2| andassociated switch 39, by connecting the soldering iron cord into thesocket 35. Nith the soldering iron in use, it will, accordingly beconnected to the high voltage tap of the secondary winding of thetransformer and will, accordingly, extract maximum energy from thesystem.

During idling periods, When the soldering iron is placed on the support,the weight thereof will cause the switch arm to be depressed :intocontact with the low voltage terminal of the switch and therebyestablish connection to the low voltage tap of the transformer, where-byto cut down the energy input to the iron. Through proper loca- 'tion ofthe taps on the secondar winding, the ironma be caused to operate atdesired soldering temperatures when in use, and when placed on thesupport, the energy input may be reduced to a value which will hold thetemperature of the iron down to a point just below that which will causeoxidation of the tip.

By utilizing the transformer as a component of the means for alteringthe energy input to the iron, the heat loss within the casing during useof the iron is low, and such heat loss it not increased when the iron isplaced on the support. If anything, such initially small heat loss is"reduced under such conditions by reason of the fact that the currentflowing in the transformer windings is of lower value and the PR lossmust therefore be somewhat lower.

Thus ver little heat will be generated within the casing at any time,and inasmuch as the iron will be supported well above the casing, thesupport will run c001 during use.

From the above description of my invention in its preferred form, itwill'be appreciated that the same will fulfillall the objects of myinvention as previously set forth, and while I have described myinvention in considerable detail, the same is subject to modificationand alteration without departing from the underlying principles thereof.I, accordingly, do not desire to be limited in my protection to suchdetails; except as ma be neo'es sitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A support for an electrically heated device,

Number comprising a casing, means on said casing for re ceiving suchdevice, a transformer within said casin said transformer including aprimary winding and a secondary winding having more turns than saidprimary winding, a p1ug-in cord extending from said primary windingthrough said casing, a socket mounted on said casing for connection ofsuch electrically heated device, and means responsive to the weight ofsuch device when placed on said receiving means, for changing thevoltage output of said transformer from an operating voltage determinedby a greater number of turns than said primar winding to an idlingvoltage of lower value determined by a lesser number of turns than saidprimary windmg.

2. A support for an electrically heated soldering iron, comprising acasing, means on said casing for receiving such soldering iron, saidmeans including a pair of spaced standards each having a notch in itsupper edge to provide a cradle for such iron, a spring biased plugextending into said casing and supporting one of said standards, atransformer within said casing, said transformer including a primarywinding and a secondary winding having a high voltage tap and a lowervoltage tap, a plug-in cord extending from said primary winding throughsaid casing, a socket mounted on said casing for connection of suchelectrically heated soldering iron, and means for selectively connectingsaid socket to the taps on said secondary winding, said connecting meansincluding a switch having a pair of terminals connected respectively tosaid high voltage and lower voltage taps, and a switch arm normallybiased into contact with the high voltage termina l and disposed in thepath of movement of said spring biased plug to establish contact withsaid lower voltage terminal in response to movement of said plug underth weight of such soldering iron.

VERNON O. FRIESEN.

REFERENCES CITED :The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 723,633 Ay'el Mar. 24, 1903 223,634 AyerMar. 24, 1903 2,201,6{l2 Bauer s May 21, 1940 2,325,936 Blame Aug. 3,1943 2,326,572 Shangle Aug. 10, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS l fuin'ber ICountry Date 69,246 Austria Jan. 1, 1915

